When a board of library trustees appointed pursuant to section 3375.06, 3375.10, 3375.12, 3375.15, 3375.22, or 3375.30 of the Revised Code determines to construct, demolish, alter, repair, or reconstruct a library or make any improvements or repairs, the cost of which will exceed the amount specified in section 9.17 of the Revised Code, except in cases of urgent necessity or for the security and protection of library property, it shall proceed as follows:
(A) The board shall advertise for a period of two weeks for sealed bids in a newspaper of general circulation in the district or as provided in section 7.16 of the Revised Code. If no newspaper has a general circulation in the district, the board shall post the advertisement in three public places in the district. The advertisement shall be entered in full by the fiscal officer on the record of proceedings of the board.(B) The sealed bids shall be filed with the fiscal officer by twelve noon of the last day stated in the advertisement.(C) The sealed bids shall be opened at the next meeting of the board, shall be publicly read by the fiscal officer, and shall be entered in full on the records of the board; provided that the board, by resolution, may provide for the public opening and reading of the bids by the fiscal officer, immediately after the time for their filing has expired, at the usual place of meeting of the board, and for the tabulation of the bids and a report of the tabulation to the board at its next meeting.(D) Each sealed bid shall contain the name of every person interested in it and shall meet the requirements of section 153.54 of the Revised Code.(E) When both labor and materials are embraced in the work bid for, the board may require that each be separately stated in the sealed bid, with their price, or may require that bids be submitted without the separation.(F) None but the lowest responsible bid shall be accepted. The board may reject all the bids or accept any bid for both labor and material for the improvement or repair that is the lowest in the aggregate.(G) The contract shall be between the board and the bidders. The board shall pay the contract price for the work in cash at the times and in the amounts as provided by sections 153.12, 153.13, and 153.14 of the Revised Code.(H) When two or more bids are equal, in whole or in part, and are lower than any others, either may be accepted, but in no case shall the work be divided between these bidders.(I) When there is reason to believe there is collusion or combination among the bidders, the bids of those concerned in the collusion or combination shall be rejected.(J) No project subject to this section shall be divided into component parts, separate projects, or items of work in order to avoid the requirements of this section.Amended by 135th General Assembly, HB 33,§101.01, eff. 10/3/2023.Amended by 129th General Assembly, SB 321, §1, eff. 6/26/2012.Amended by 129th General Assembly, HB 153, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2011.Effective Date: 11-09-2003; 2008 SB185 06-20-2008